I apologize for the late update; things suddenly sprung up on me two weeks ago and it wasn't until last Friday that I really got to sit down and outline the chapter. Once again, thank you to my Onee-sama for beta'ing this! Happy birthday to you, too! C:
Tsuna utters his thanks when Yamamoto deposits him gently at the peak of a different mountain, this one situated considerably lower than the others enough that he doesn't get vertigo by simply looking at the surroundings. There's not much flat surface to move around on, especially not when there's a dragon taking up most of the space available. Tsuna doesn't mind, though, too mesmerized by the blue dragon before him to take notice of anything else. He recalls the words of the numerous tomes that he had read while playing...hide-and-seek with the others. Lavish descriptions of how blue the scales of rain dragons were that sapphires pale in comparison and the lean yet sinewy body underneath those scales. Whatever the books could not tell him, Tsuna takes in with his own eyes now.
He remembers reading the chapter about the rain dragons' wings, about their large size and how they are connected from the dragon's shoulders to a point near the dragon's thighs, the width of them giving the dragon greater surface for its wings. What the books failed to include is the shimmery sheen they give off, creating an illusion of the leathery wings being translucent under the moonlight. They appear almost soft to the touch, and Tsuna's hand itches at the want to ghost his fingers over them. He stomps down on it, though, forcing away the desire and shifting his attention to the body of Yamamoto's dragon form. It's much longer than he had imagined, reminiscent of a lizard's body. His eyes are then drawn next to the claws that are half-embedded in the dirt, their clear white color a stark contrast to the deep blue of the scales.
For some reason, his gaze snaps up from the dragon's— Yamamoto's— claws up to his electric blue eyes, not quite surprised when he is being studied as intently as he has been scrutinizing the dragon. Yamamoto's sclerae are black instead of white, making his eyes stand out. Yamamoto hasn't said anything after he caught him earlier, and it's frankly beginning to unsettle Tsuna for the dragon to keep watching him silently like this.
"Um," Tsuna starts, frustration bubbling up inside him when the words keep eluding him. Despite his dilemma, he doesn't break eye contact with Yamamoto. In this form, it's harder to gauge Yamamoto's mood, and Tsuna finds that his only way to do so is through the dragon's eyes.
One of Yamamoto's wings twitches, jolting Tsuna to hastily express his thanks automatically. He gets no answer until he hears the sound of rippling scales that accompanies Yamamoto's movement. Yamamoto unfurls on of his wings, laying it horizontally midair next to Tsuna and giving the brunette a clearer view of it. As expected, Tsuna is immediately captivated by the extended appendage. He raises his hand from his side unconsciously, but before he can place it on top of Yamamoto's wing, he catches himself and stops. He guiltily glances up and retracts his hand with a mumbled apology.
"Don't be," is Yamamoto's reply. His gravelly voice is foreign yet simultaneously soothing to Tsuna's ears. His wing remains extended, which Tsuna interprets as Yamamoto's acceptance of his earlier intent.
"Thank you," Tsuna says once more. Both of them know that it's not only for Yamamoto allowing him to touch his wing, but neither of them speak more.
"I take it that you've sorted things out with Tsuna?"
Takeshi shrugs and runs his hands over his face to chase the sleep away. He and Tsuna returned to the house near the break of dawn, the dragon tamer sliding off his back with all the grace of a newborn fawn while he continued to express his neverending gratitude. Takeshi merely snorted at him in reply, musing about how it took a growl from the dragon to get him to climb up on his back in the first place, before nudging Tsuna inside the house, telling him that he'll follow soon. Tsuna regarded him with a weird expression then, but Takeshi didn't have the chance to decipher it before Tsuna nodded and turned his back on him.
"Good," Tsuyoshi says. Takeshi looks up at him blearily. "Now get up and help me with preparing lunch. Tsuna's probably exhausted from all the bonds that he has formed in less than twenty-four hours."
Takeshi's sleepiness is gone instantly, confusion and displeasure replacing it. "What?" he asks eloquently. As far as he knows, only Basil is bonded with Tsuna and there are no other dragons near the area that he could have bonded with, barring Tsuyoshi himself. It is highly unlikely for Tsuyoshi to have formed a bond with Tsuna, though, so why did his father say "bonds"?
Unless—
His father's sardonic grin that is more of a grimace does nothing to dispel the growing sense of trepidation in him. "Might wanna check your back. Don't take too long, though, since I still need someone to help me in the kitchen."
Tsuyoshi leaves the room without waiting for Takeshi's reply, bypassing the kitchen and swiftly walking to the guest rooms. Not even bothering to knock, Tsuyoshi slides the door open, staring down at a disoriented Tsuna. He doesn't need to look twice to say that the kid is under the weather, but Tsuyoshi can't spare any sympathy for that at the moment.
"I thought you weren't interested with taking a dragon from Namimori. Which, correct me if I'm wrong, is rather similar to you saying that you will not be making a bond with any dragon." Tsuyoshi thinks he should have used fewer words, since Tsuna scrunches his face up in what could only be due to not understanding what he was just told.
"That's...right?" Tsuna slowly replies. Then memories of being bonded with Basil rises up from the back of his mind, leading to Tsuna concluding that that's what Tsuyoshi is referring to. "I didn't mean to bond with Basil when I said the words. It just...happened." He hopes that Tsuyoshi won't be too angry about it; Tsuna really didn't know what was going on until the bond was already formed!
"I told Basil that I'll break it. The bond. If he wants to." His eyelids start to feel heavier by each second that passed, but Tsuna fights off the impending darkness as he continues, "He said no, but I think...I will. Do it. Break the bond." Inhaling shakily, Tsuna leans to the side and tries to keep himself upright before resigning and giving in to his body's demand of laying back down on the futon.
"Vongola is not a safe place." Tsuyoshi nods at that, though he knows that Tsuna isn't talking to him anymore. Glazed hazel eyes stare up at the ceiling, unseeing, their owner's face flushed red. "Especially when you're associated with the likes of me. It's just not safe."
It doesn't take long for Tsuna to drift off after that, showing signs of developing a fever. his breathing is fast and shallow and chills begin to wrack his body. Quickly procuring a towel and a basin of water from the bathroom, Tsuyoshi dips the white cloth on the cool water and squeezes the excess out, placing the damp cloth on Tsuna's forehead. He stays by Tsuna's side for a few minutes, Tsuna's words reminding him of nights from the past when a blond drunkard would talk of his family back home.
Remembering that he has a meal to cook, the man silently leaves the room and walks back toward the kitchen. He's satisfied for now that the bond between Tsuna and Takeshi isn't a forced one, especially if the kid seems to think that it's Basil that Tsuyoshi's referring to. Not only that, but if it is truly a forced bond, Takeshi should have noticed before Tsuyoshi had pointed it out.
Tsuyoshi scratches the back of his neck when he sees Basil already sitting by the dining table, a mug of hot coffee in between his hands. Basil doesn't acknowledge his presence immediately, a testament to how deep in thought he is, and Tsuyoshi leaves him be while he prepares the ingredients that he'll be using.
"Have they worked out what's been troubling them?" Basil asks a good ten minutes after Tsuyoshi has entered the kitchen. Tsuyoshi simply nods in assent, knowing that Basil is watching him. "That is...well. Now young master Tsuna won't be as shrouded by despair as he was before."
"True," Tsuyoshi curtly replies. "What he will be now is to be bedridden again." Seeing the alarm that flashes through Basil's face, Tsuyoshi quickly adds, "Because forming a bond with two dragons with barely any time to replenish his energy in between will most likely lead to him feeling sluggish for the next two days or so. Not to mention that he's a complete amateur when it comes to this thing, what with you as his first bonded dragon."
Basil's usual calm façade breaks to give way to a troubled one. He quickly hides it when he hears footsteps coming closer to the kitchen, not wanting to risk Tsuna's worry if it is him. Unsurprisingly however, it is a disgruntled Takeshi, already poised to ask his father a question. His mouth snaps shut when he sees Basil, the two start communicating wordlessly via the glares that they're directing at each other.
Meanwhile, Tsuyoshi starts feeling the telltale signs of a migraine coming on. The two young dragons before him have never gotten into any arguments before, but they haven't been close either. They're good acquaintances, for the most part, so seeing them look at each other with hostility fills Tsuyoshi with awe but mostly annoyance toward a certain dragon tamer. Though both are ready to give their smiles to people, his son and Basil are painfully detached from most of the world, only caring if something or someone directly concerns them. To be able to affect them despite their usual apathy is something.
In an attempt to dispel the tension in the room, Tsuyoshi clears his throat. He's glad that that manages to catch their attention, if only barely. "Stop it with your childish act," he chides them, enjoying how both bristle at being called childish yet being unable to refute it because it is the truth. "I doubt the kid will find it cute that the two of you are going after each other's necks in an attempt to monopolize him."
Takeshi hisses. "You're talking nonsense."
"Am I?" Tsuyoshi raises an eyebrow at the aggravated noise that his son makes. After checking if the soup that he has prepared earlier is done, Tsuyoshi puts a bowl and a glass of water on a tray. "What I'm really trying to say is that you two shouldn't let Tsuna see or feel that you're not in good terms with each other. I doubt that he knows or remembers that he's bonded to you yet, Takeshi, seeing how dazed he was earlier, but it wouldn't surprise me if he figures your sudden hostility with each other is linked to his bond with Basil."
At the corner of his eyes, Takeshi sees Basil shift his focus back to him. There's a contemplative quality to it, one that Takeshi knows he's mirroring when he turns to face Basil once more. To be honest, he holds no ill will toward the other rain dragon, and he knows that the other feels the same way toward him, too. His instincts to challenge Basil flares up when he sees him, though, and he doesn't need to be a genius to connect it to their bond with Tsuna.
Between the two of them, Basil is the one who speaks first. "For young master Tsuna's sake," he starts, though apparently that's all he needs to say as Takeshi nods his head in agreement.
Tsuna dreams of standing in the middle of nowhere, with only dead husks and white bones covered with thin layers of frost interrupting the dark expanse of land that's around him. He ought to be freezing, yet Tsuna's burning up on the inside. His clothing is sticking to his skin with sweat and his body feels like it's on fire. He doesn't lay down on the ground despite his body's exhaustion; instead, he takes a step forward, then another, until he's walking slowly with no direction in mind. He just knows that he needs to keep walking, and he does for god-knows-how-long. Tsuna stopped counting his footsteps after he got to six.
The silence rings loudly in his ears until another sound breaks it. Tsuna lifts his head up, squinting when light shines through a door-shaped hole. It's peculiar, since there are no walls to where the hole is. Tsuna dismisses it as he walks closer, the sound growing louder and more recognizable. It'slaughter is Tsuna's first thought, replaced with it's a girl's laughter when he walks through the door-shaped hole. He shields his eyes with his arm due to the light's intensity. That's when he hears a voice say, "It seems we have a guest."
Tsuna wakes with a start, not really registering the cloth that slides off his forehead as he tries to calm his wildly beating heart. Awareness comes back to him in pieces, starting from the conflicting feeling of being hot and cold simultaneously. He whimpers when he tries to swallow, only for his throat's inner walls to scratch at each other like sandpaper. He hears someone talking at his side, not recognizing who it is at first until Tsuyoshi gruffly orders him to open his mouth. Tsuna obeys without question, immensely grateful to his host when water passes through his lips and down to his throat.
The man continues talking through this, but Tsuna is only able to make out the words "bonds" and "silly" before he slips back to unconsciousness.
He goes back to dreaming again. This time he is under a tree with purple leaves. The sound of rustling leaves resounds around him, though Tsuna can't feel the wind on his skin. Still, everything appears so real, the scenery and sounds too vivid for a dream. Someone sits next to him just when he thinks of standing up, prompting him to look at his side.
"Hello," the girl greets him, purple eyes wide and captivating as she stares up at Tsuna expectantly.
"H-Hi," Tsuna stammers out.
The girl continues to stare at him, as though expecting more than just a measly greeting from Tsuna. Tsuna grows self-conscious under her stare, wishing that he had more experience when it comes to talking to females. Or people in general. Then the girl giggles, startling Tsuna.
"He's right. You're an interesting one," she says ambiguously. Even so, Tsuna can't seem to find it in him to be suspicious of her. Despite her weird hairstyle— it's reminiscent of a pineapple's top, if Tsuna can be honest— she has kind eyes, much like his mother's.
"Oh! Please forgive me for my lack of manners!" The girl holds her hand out, saying, "My name is Chrome. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Tsuna hastily removes his glove then, grasping Chrome's hand gently. "Tsunayoshi...you can call me Tsuna. I'm honored to be your acquaintance, Chrome."
Chrome giggles again. "You're so formal, Tsuna. It makes you more endearing than you already are." Giggling again at Tsuna's blush, Chrome shifts so that she's facing Tsuna more. "Will you keep me company? Having a world made to my liking has been very exciting, but it's been a while since I've talked to someone new."
Tsuna agrees despite Chrome's strange words. He supposes it's because this is taking place in a dream, his mind undoubtedly the one conjuring up the most bizarre dialogues that he's hearing. Still, he can't shake off the feeling that Chrome is somewhat familiar to him. That and the fact that something is with them.
"None of you are allowed inside his room."
Tsuyoshi already expected the two to protest but that doesn't mean that he's free from getting headaches because of it. His only reprieve is that both Takeshi and Basil are not the type to shout first when their tempers flare; what they do instead is fix the source of their anger with a frosty glare which, thankfully, Tsuyoshi is rather immune to.
"I must take care of him," Basil tells him with a voice that brooks no argument. Takeshi briefly directs his glare at him before returning it at his father.
"Of course you must," Tsuyoshi replies. "But you should know how this thing works, Basil. Bonding with a dragon suddenly is bound to drain the tamer a huge portion of his energy. At the same time, a link between the tamer and the dragon opens, allowing for an exchange of energies between the two to happen. Tsuna didn't feel the effects of your sudden bond with him at first, since I know you have quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to regulating your energy. On the other hand…"
Takeshi's frown grows deeper upon catching his father's meaning, gaze falling down to his plate.
"It's painfully obvious that he has no practical training when it comes to regulating the energies inside him prior to coming here. Now, he has to acclimate with not only one but two new energies inside of him without having a chance to get used to one at first," Tsuyoshi points out. "Your presence near him would do nothing but worsen his condition, especially you, Takeshi, since you don't know how to control the amount of your energy that's passing through your bond with Tsuna."
"You've never mentioned of anything like this before," Takeshi replies back through gritted teeth.
"I have mentioned of this before," Tsuyoshi says, slightly annoyed. "I just didn't get into the details of what will happen to you and your tamer- hypothetically- since I never thought you'd be bonded with someone."
Tsuyoshi shakes his head when his son proceeds to brood. Before Takeshi can stalk off though, Tsuyoshi asks, "By the way, did he do anything while he's in Namimori?"
"He wandered around the streets, looking for something." Takeshi trails off, searching his mind for what else Tsuna did during his stay in Namimori. "He went to the post office every three days or so with a letter. They were for his mother."
Tsuyoshi hums when Basil stills. "It's been nearly a week since his last letter, then. His mother must be sick with worry by now. Not to mention that news of the dead dragon tamer at the outskirts of Namimori has already spread like wildfire."
"I will write to her," Basil offers, earning him a surprised glance from Takeshi and a knowing look from Tsuyoshi. He gives no further explanation to his offer other than, "I am posting a letter of my own, too, so I don't mind taking up this task for young master Tsuna's sake."
Tsuyoshi nods and says, "Very well." He knows his son is annoyed at the fact that he easily entrusted such a task to Basil even if Takeshi doesn't voice any protests that he may have regarding the matter.
Later, when they've all wandered out of the kitchen, Tsuyoshi finds himself standing by the bookshelf, mindlessly perusing its contents. Behind him, Basil is hunched over while he writes the letter to Tsuna's mother. Neither of them speaks for a long while even though they both are aware of what the forthcoming conversation will entail.
"You know him but he does not know you," Tsuyoshi opens up the conversation, getting straight to the point.
"Does not remember is more accurate," Basil replies without pausing from his writing. Silence settles over them again, though the conversation is far from over.
"Tsuna is his son." At Basil's nod, Tsuyoshi sighs. "He'll be angry, you know, and that drunk is insufferable when he's angry." When Basil doesn't say anything, Tsuyoshi returns the book that he isn't reading to the shelf and faces him fully. "That child...you're aware what your bond with him entails, right?"
"I am." Basil finishes signing his name at the bottom of the paper, hand hovering over it once that's done. "But like this, I can be near him and I'll be able to protect him."
"Which would not be necessary in the first place if he hadn't got himself bonded to a dragon," Tsuyoshi reasons back. "Once he returns to Vongola and word of how he's made a bond spreads, then what Iemitsu has worked so hard for all these years will be for naught."
Tsuyoshi patiently waits for his companion's reply, gaze straying at the darkening skies outside the window.
"I will be there by his side when that happens," Basil tells him, looking up at Tsuyoshi with a challenge in his eyes.
"Isn't that selfish?" Tsuyoshi's aware that he hit a sensitive subject when Basil flinches. "I doubt that Iemitsu hasn't told you how his family's politics work, Basil, given the fact that he has always left you here in Namimori with us whenever he comes home to Vongola. Because you're an unbonded dragon that is very much willing to be bonded to his son. Well, previously unbonded dragon anyway."
Memories of being dragged away from a quaint, little house and the stern face of Iemitsu Sawada flashes through Basil's eyes. He also remembers of a little boy with brown hair that's ridiculously untameable and the tendrils of warmth that seeped in him when the little boy accepted him with no malice in his heart. The first time that Iemitsu told him the full reason why he should never be bonded to Tsuna left Basil feeling cold all over, not for himself but for the unknowing boy living back in Vongola. It isn't because Tsuna's lack of heart when it comes to being a good tamer, nor is the fault Basil's for what he thought was his incompetency as a dragon.
The reason why they must stay separated lies within the walls of Vongola, closer to Tsuna than any enemies can ever be. Iemitsu smiled grimly when he saw Basil's rage upon knowing fully who the real danger was to Tsuna.
"Even though you knew of that, you still made a bond with Tsuna. That's really selfish, even for you who has waited nearly two decades," Tsuyoshi continues, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall. "Now that you've opened up this dangerous path for him, are you willing to put his and your life on the line just because of memories long past?"
Basil smiles for the first time since their conversation started, surprising Tsuyoshi a bit. "That and the chance to make more memories with him." Basil starts folding his letter, hands steady and gentle. "Though I suppose every memory that we will make from now on shall be preceded with a glaring match between young master Takeshi and I."
"Eh, I'm sure what you guys are currently feeling will pass. It's always been told that the first few days of a newly-made bond kinda mess both the tamer and the dragon up."
Basil laughs unabashedly. "That's a very sound reasoning, though I'm sure we can't put all the blame on the bond."
Pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, Iemitsu broods over being ordered to stay inside of Vongola until further notice. In any other situation, Iemitsu would be over the moon about this, since it means being able to spend more time with his family. Iemitsu grits his teeth when his thoughts stray back to his son, worry and anger mingling furiously inside him.
Across the room, Oregano is following her restless master's pacing. She and Turmeric have come to an agreement to not let their rather reckless tamer out of their sights, especially not now that the Nono has ordered for all of them to stay put in Vongola when it is very much apparent how much Iemitsu wants to go out to search for his child. The dragon has no doubt that someone is posted outside of the Sawada residence to make sure.
Inside the kitchen, Nana is making dinner for all of them with the help of Turmeric. Her husband's sun dragon has said so little ever since they started making dinner, but Nana doesn't mind. The companionable silence between them serves as a good breather for the distressed woman. The knowledge of someone's being there without fussing over her to the point of suffocation calms her. Iemitsu means well when he repeatedly asked if she was coping up earlier, she knows, but there is a limit to how often she can be same question over and over again in the span of one hour before snapping.
"Turmeric, will you—"
Nana stops when she takes in Turmeric's rigid form, turned facing the living room. She hasn't spent much time with them, given their short visits and long absences, so Nana isn't an expert at reading her husband's dragons. What she is an expert of is reading her husband, and she's fortunate that, through his bond with his dragons, the dragons sometimes show some of the cues that Nana would pick up on her husband's mood.
Currently, she sees that Turmeric is shocked and livid— it is always Iemitsu's anger, no matter its intensity, that the dragons pick up the strongest— and she receives her confirmation when Iemitsu storms out of the house, Oregano hot on his heel.
Turmeric lowers the knife and carrot that he's holding, the tense lines of his shoulders sagging when he exhales. He glances to the side, already expecting Nana's questioning look.
"If Tsuna is still in Namimori…there is a high possibility that he might meet Basil there," Turmeric murmurs.
By the faint traces of orange in the dark blue skies, Tsuna judges it to be dawn already. He doesn't remember waking up nor the dream that he had, though what he does remember is the reason why he's awake in the first place. Weakly pushing himself up, he thanks any god that's listening to him for the glass of water beside his futon.
"I need to stop waking up like this," Tsuna thinks as he slowly drinks the contents of the glass, his dry throat being relieved with each gulp that he takes. Once he's emptied the glass, Tsuna sighs and tries to recall what happened the day before. He also searches his mind for what his dream was about, and he pouts a little when he draws a blank for both.
Then there's a knock by the door, chasing away any thoughts of recollecting any memories when Tsuna looks up and sees Yamamoto standing by the doorway. He stays by the door, which Tsuna interprets as Yamamoto still being wary of their fragile friendship.
"How are you feeling?" Yamamoto asks. It takes a moment for Tsuna to process the words, mind still sluggish from his fever. He's also wondering why Yamamoto is staring at him expectantly, like he's asked Tsuna another question not related to his well-being and now he's waiting for Tsuna's answer.
"I'm fine. Better. I think." Tsuna presses his palm on his forehead, averting his gaze from Yamamoto's when he recalls how they got back to the house. "Thanks, by the way, for, uhm, letting me ride on your back…"
Yamamoto doesn't say anything, prompting Tsuna to glance up. The dragon's expression hasn't changed; if anything, there's a spark of interest in his eyes now, as if encouraging Tsuna to speak further of the matter.
Fidgeting, Tsuna continues, "I don't...really like the idea of riding on a dragon's back. Not because it's unpleasant! But more because of...what it implied. Back home. But uhm, anyway...it was a really great experience, and thank you for that. For allowing me to ride on your back that is, even though I didn't get to see much because I...had my eyes closed."
Tsuna starts when Yamamoto makes a noise that's suspiciously displeased. "You didn't see my back, then?" is Yamamoto's unexpected question, and Tsuna feels like he's missing something really big in here.
"Y-Yes? I don't remember much from that night, aside from when we were at the top of a mountain. And when I was screaming at you while we were falling, though that part's a bit...blurry? Maybe due to the adrenaline."
They stay silent after that, watching each other and wondering what's going on through the other's mind until Yamamoto straightens up and asks, "Do you want me to get you anything?"
Tsuna is now positive that Yamamoto is holding something back from him, but decides not to pursue it. Instead, he tells Yamamoto that another glass of water would be much appreciated and falls back on his futon once he's alone in the room again. He goes back to trying to recall anything that he may have missed on the night that he was saved by Yamamoto. His frustration builds up when all his mind conjures is a mess of blues and purples.
By the time Yamamoto returns to the room, Tsuna is asleep again.
Chrome is waiting for him when he opens his eyes, excitedly running up to him and clasping his hands. "We've been waiting for you!" she exclaims, half-dragging Tsuna behind her. Tsuna blinks at her, wondering who else was with her while he was gone.
"Mukuro!" Right after Chrome's excited shout, their pace becomes faster, Tsuna stumbling a little at the sudden change. He briefly congratulates himself for not embarrassing himself by falling face-first on the floor. They stop running not long after, and Tsuna gapes at the creature standing in front of them.
Chrome's smile is wide when she introduces Tsuna. "Mukuro, this is Tsuna! He's been keeping me company while you were away!"
Tsuna doesn't protest when Chrome shoves him in front of her, mind too preoccupied with processing the huge owl currently staring back at him. It's all white, aside from the tips of its feathers and talons that are black and its heterochromatic eyes. Blue and red, a peculiar combination, Tsuna thinks. The cravat that's around its neck is a deep olive green, bringing out its red eye even more. As though those aren't enough, Tsuna sees thick, gray chains wrapped around the owl's wings tightly, a few feathers sticking out in between the holes of the metal links. A flightless bird, forever chained to the ground.
The owl continues staring back at him, still as a statue. Tsuna starts feeling uncomfortable under the owl's unwavering gaze, but he can't bring himself to look away from it.
At the back of his mind, Tsuna remembers lessons from his childhood, something about colors.
"Tsu-kun, when you mix red and blue together, you get another color. Do you know what that is?"
"You've planned this, all of it!"
Timoteo holds back a sigh as he meets Iemitsu's glare with his own. He has a lot of patience for the man, but Iemitsu is straying dangerously close to the limit of Vongola Nono's patience. It's apparent that Iemitsu knows this, as well as his blatant disregard of it as he inhales sharply.
"It's not a coincidence that you've sent Tsuna to Namimori a few days before my arrival," Iemitsu hisses seethingly, his anger further fueled at the lack of denial from Timoteo. "You know that Basil will be left there."
"Indeed." Timoteo raises a hand to halt Nougat from reacting at Iemitsu slamming his hands on Timoteo's table. "But he's not the only dragon that is in Namimori currently, isn't he?" Timoteo can practically hear Iemitsu's teeth gnashing. "There's no need to play dumb, Iemitsu. You swore to relay any valuable information to Vongola, and I believe the Yamamotos fall under that category."
"Don't refer to them in that way!" Iemitsu lashes out, eyes flashing dangerously. "They're not just another piece for you to include in your sordid plots, just like what you've already decided my son will be!"
Timoteo stands up then, posture rigid as he calmly enunciates, "I have to do what I must to keep this city afloat, and we need more people. You should know that!"
Iemitsu lets out a humorless chuckle at that. "This city? Timoteo, you Vongolas only care for your own asses. The safety of this city is just a byproduct of your relentless actions to keep yourselves on top of the food chain."
"You say that as though you're not part of my family," Timoteo says through gritted teeth, though any other words that he wanted to say flee him upon seeing the rage in Iemitsu's countenance.
"We have never been a family, no matter how many presents you send Nana when it's our anniversary or you take Tsuna out as his grandfather." Iemitsu stands up to his full height, glaring daggers at the older man in front of him. "Don't fool yourself, Timoteo. We Sawadas have never considered ourselves a part of the Founder's family, not even if we have his blood in us."
After they're lead to a dining table in the middle of a river, with lilypads as their bridge toward it, Tsuna finds himself half-listening to Chrome gushing about her adventures in search of the shy, yellow kitty that she stumbled upon earlier. Said kitty is now sitting on the chair next to Chrome, the other side occupied by the huge owl. Tsuna is worried now that perhaps he's done something wrong to the owl, since it hasn't stopped staring at him unblinkingly. Creepily.
"A huge dandelion helped me catch him! Some of its seeded fruits were black instead of white, and if it had a face, I'd say this spot," Chrome traces a rectangular shape on her left cheek with her finger, "would be the one with the black on it."
"It's really nice of it to help you," Tsuna comments with a smile. He glances at the owl briefly, baffled to find that it still hasn't stopped staring at him.
"Yes! And it never asked anything for return, too!" Chrome giggles and opens her mouth to say more, but for the first time since Tsuna met them, the owl interrupts her.
"It's time to go, my Chrome." Its voice is nowhere near to what Tsuna imagined it to be, yet he finds it fitting for the humungous bird.
"Isn't it too soon?" Chrome protests, pouting up at the owl. The owl rotates its head toward her in return, the only time that the owl stops looking at Tsuna, though it's only briefly before the owl faces forward again. Chrome sighs, disappointment clear in her face. "I wanted to talk more with Tsuna, though…"
Not one to be comfortable in the presence of a saddened person, Tsuna smiles at her and says, "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be able to talk more next time."
"You promise?" Tsuna fights hard for his smile not to falter, because he knows how hard it is to make a promise, especially one that he has no certainty of being able to fulfill.
"I promise," Tsuna says anyway, because he doubts he can ever say no to Chrome despite them meeting only in dreams.
The smell of soup and toast stirs him out of his sleep, a welcome change for Tsuna compared to waking up with his throat imitating the dryness of a desert. It's Tsuyoshi who's checking up on him this time, the man placing the tray that he's carrying on Tsuna's lap once the brunette's sitting up. Tsuna mumbles his thanks for the food and begins eating quietly.
"Better now?" Tsuyoshi inquires, to which Tsuna nods. "Good. Rest one more night, then I'm having Takeshi bring you back to Namimori. Can't be good, being cooped up in here for so long. Haru's also been wondering where you went."
Tsuna nods again, the conversation falling into a lull after that. Tsuyoshi obviously has more things to say, though, and Tsuna is proven right when the man asks, "Are you going to turn Basil over once you return to Vongola?"
"Of course not," Tsuna instantly replies, a frown curling his lips downward. "I gave you my word, didn't I? That I wouldn't be taking any dragons from Namimori."
"That you did." Tsuyoshi retrieves the tray from Tsuna's hands once he's confirmed that the brunette has finished eating. "That you did," he repeats before leaving a confused Tsuna. He wonders how Tsuna will dissuade Basil from coming with him and also how he will dissuade Takeshi from doing the same thing, too. It'll be a battle for him, Tsuyoshi thinks, since neither of them seems very enthusiastic to entertain the thought of being separated from their new tamer.
Only the owl is waiting for him this time, huge red and blue eyes still fixed on Tsuna. Tsuna has no clue where they are, the surroundings too dark around them to even make out what's within a two feet radius of him. He's not comfortable being alone with the owl—Mukuro—either, but he has no choice but to talk to it if he wants answers.
"Where's Chrome?" he asks the owl tentatively, not surprised in the least when he's met with silence. He grows more apprehensive as time passes, not only because of Chrome's absence but also from the animosity emanating from his only companion.
It's the first time since meeting Chrome that he felt unsafe in his dreams.
Takeshi hears footsteps approach him from behind, and it isn't long before his father stands beside him, yawning widely as they face the rising sun. The wind ruffles his hair as it passes, the air still slightly chilly from the night before.
"You're going to follow him."
It's a statement that somehow surprises him despite Takeshi anticipating it, given how his father loves rubbing something on his face when he has been right all along. Takeshi doesn't need to look at Tsuyoshi to see the smug expression that he's surely wearing.
"Why?"
Takeshi mulls over the question for a bit. He decides to answer with, "He's interesting. For a human." He feigns disinterest, hoping that his father would drop his probing questions.
"Like that Hibari kid?" Tsuyoshi nearly laughs at his son's exasperated sigh. "I still remember when you first got beaten to a pulp by him. You followed him around like a dog, asking for another rematch and basically having your ass handed to you every single time."
Takeshi shrugs, the dim light from the lamp that Tsuyoshi's holding dancing across his face. "Not quite. Hibari, as closed off as he is, is easy to read, like an open book. But Tsuna...he has an air of - of mystery around him despite wearing his heart on his sleeve."
"True," Tsuyoshi grunts in agreement, head turning to the direction where Tsuna's temporary room is located. "Keep in mind that you won't be the only one who'll be drawn to him." At Takeshi's curious expression, he huffs and points out, "Basil. Not to mention the others that are residing in Namimori and Vongola, especially now that he's taking not one but two of the coveted rain dragons."
Takeshi's face goes grim, and he looks nearly menacing when Tsuyoshi adds, "The mist has also receded on the side of the mountain. Surely, you've roused him when you and that skylark were trying to bash each other's skulls in."
Then a crash originating behind the door resounds loudly, whimpers that are definitely Tsuna's following closely. Father and son share an identical look of exasperation, and then Tsuyoshi snickers while Takeshi fights a losing battle against a grin that's threatening to appear.
Just before Tsuna emerges from the house, Tsuyoshi quickly sobers up and adds, "Vongola is dangerous, not only to you but also to Tsuna. Never forget that if you intend to stay by his side."
Takeshi stores his father's advice in his mind, fully composed again when Tsuna steps outside. He is still a bit paler than he is normally, making the red on his forehead much more noticeable. His eyes widen at the sight of the two Yamamotos, Tsuna's blush spreading on his cheek and to the tips of his ears. In both the dragons' minds, he's very reminiscent of a tiny rodent facing a predator.
"I, uhm, sorry about the...commotion," Tsuna meekly apologizes. He relaxes a bit when Tsuyoshi waves his hand in dismissal.
"You've done far more outrageous things; I'm sure we can overlook your tripping on the entrance," Tsuyoshi says,
the first half of his statement earning him a reproachful look from Takeshi and an embarrassed "Hiieee!" from Tsuna. Yawning once again, Tsuyoshi walks back to the house, clasping Tsuna's shoulder one last time when he passes him. Tsuna hastily says a litany of thanks at the back of his host, earning only a wave in return before he's left alone with Takeshi.
A strong gust of wind has Tsuna raising his arms toward his face, the brunette wishing that he won't get whisked away. It soon passes, and once he's sure that there are no more dust and small pebbles flying around, Tsuna lowers his arms. Almost instantly, he gapes at a shirtless Takeshi, wide wings stretched out to their full length at his back.
"C'mon," Takeshi calls out to him, snapping Tsuna from his embarrassing gawking of the dragon. "Basil's already at Namimori, and by now he's probably met up with Haru."
"R-Right!" Tsuna jogs up to Takeshi, realization coming to him with each step. Once he's standing a foot away from Takeshi, Tsuna yelps when a balled-up white shirt is thrown his way. He gives himself a mental pat on the back when he manages to catch it, though he forgets all about his little achievement completely when Takeshi crouches in front of him. Tsuna yelps again when he's pulled flush against Takeshi's torso by the arms around the back of his knees and lower back.
"Y-Yamamoto!?" Tsuna squeaks as he's lifted up, free hand grasping at Takeshi's shoulder to steady himself. "T-This is completely unnecessary!"
"Call me Takeshi," is the completely unrelated answer that he gets. And then they're moving—Takeshi walking while carrying Tsuna— and the next thing Tsuna knows is that they're falling down very quickly because the clouds are getting smaller and smaller. Tsuna might have been screaming, but not entirely from fear.
The arms wrapped around him tighten their hold, and then massive blue wings beat twice just as they get shadowed by a mountain. Tsuna takes deep breaths then. teeth chattering for a bit just as the leaves of the trees creep into the edges of his vision. It's not long before they completely stop in their descent, Takeshi crouching again to place Tsuna down on the ground. The moment his feet step on solid ground, Tsuna whimpers, not caring is he's clutching Takeshi's shoulder too hard.
"A little warning next time would be n-nice," he tells Takeshi rather weakly. Unexpectedly, the dragon gives him a small smile, and Tsuna is sure that he's already forgiven Takeshi right then and there for nearly giving him a heart attack a few seconds ago.
"I'll keep that in mind." The shirt that Tsuna's holding against his chest is gently pried from his fingers, though Takeshi doesn't shrug Tsuna's hand off his shoulder right away so that he can put it on. Tsuna retracts his hand upon noticing, though, his blush returning.
"I—ok." Tsuna awkwardly toys with his goggles, unsure of how to respond to Takeshi's smile. He's hoping that the smile means Takeshi's accepting him again as a friend, and the thought makes Tsuna return the smile back shyly. "Thank you, Ya—T...Takeshi."
Unbridled happiness flash by Takeshi's eyes then, coloring them blue in a flash before reverting back to brown. Tsuna nearly sobs in relief when those blue eyes aren't so cold anymore; instead, they held the same amount of warmth that Takeshi's brown eyes have currently.
"You're welcome, Tsuna," Takeshi replies, small smile still in place.
Takeshi's wings twitch before flapping one last time, Tsuna watching with wonder as they start fading away. The air around them becomes damp, and Tsuna wonders if the same thing happens when Takeshi fully shapeshifts into a dragon. He starts forming his question, trying to find a way to ask Takeshi about it without upsetting the dragon. All drafts of his question flee his mind when Takeshi walks past him and he catches sight of what's on the dragon's back just before the fabric of the shirt covers it, freezing Tsuna in place. Takeshi must be talking to him, the dragon looking over his shoulder with worry in his eyes due to Tsuna's silence.
"Tsuna—oh. You saw it, huh?"
Tsuna's lips tremble a little as Takeshi turns to face him. "I—oh god, Ta—...I-I'm sorry I—"
"We'll talk about it later," Takeshi interrupts him. The cold expression that he wore when he found out what Tsuna was hasn't returned yet, but that doesn't stop Tsuna from feeling scared all over again. "Though if you're going to mention anything about breaking this bond, then I suppose there's nothing to talk about later," Takeshi amends.
"But—"
"Later," Takeshi firmly says, taking hold of Tsuna's hand and pulling the brunette along behind him. "I don't really fancy making Haru mad. She's scary, you know."
To say that Tsuna's distressed about Takeshi's lack of reaction toward their bond is understatement. He rummages around his mind of the time the bond was formed, turning all his memories over during his search. He keeps doing this until they meet Haru, the seamstress nearly crushing his ribcage with the intensity of her hug. For the duration of his dinner with Haru, Takeshi, and Basil, Tsuna has become somewhat preoccupied that it isn't until they got back to the inn that he's able to ponder on the matter again. Basil asked them to go ahead earlier as he stops by the post office, though Tsuna can tell that Basil didn't really like the idea of leaving him alone with Takeshi.
"See you tomorrow then," Takeshi tells him, patting Tsuna lightly at the back as he strides to the room next door.
"Yeah. Uhm…" Tsuna glances up and sees Takeshi turn his head toward him, waiting patiently for what he has to say. "I can still...break it, you know. The bond."
Takeshi sighs exaggeratedly while scratching his nape. "Maybe I wasn't clear earlier, but I don't want the bond to be broken." At Tsuna's skeptical look, he adds, "It's...hard to explain right now. Plus, we wouldn't want any eavesdroppers to hear what we have to say to each other, eh?"
"Alright." Tsuna purses his lips together after bidding Takeshi goodnight, entering his room with thoughts swarming around his mind like insects would. He feels that he won't be getting any sleep because of this, something that's proven wrong when he goes out like a light the moment he hits the bed.
Tsuna finds himself standing in front of a thick wall of ice. By his side, Mukuro is staring at the wall, too, their reflections vague on the thick ice. Displeasure is rolling off of the owl in waves, but that's not what chills Tsuna to the bones.
Despite the vagueness of his reflection, Tsuna can see a gloved hand loosely wrapped around his neck while a voice whispers close to his ear.
"Bring me to Nagi."
Not exactly content with this chapter lmfao but it serves as a bridge toward the next chapter, so there's that.
Thanks for reading! Concrit would be much appreciated! (I also love it when readers ask questions in the reviews *winkwink*)